A remarkable effort, the blockbuster 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Chante le Merle Vieilles Vignes comes close to the 2010 in terms of quality. Coming from a selection of the top plots and old vines of the estate... it offers off-the-charts notes of cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, garrigue, licorice and toasted spice. Possessing massive richness and depth, with tons of glycerin, texture and length, it stays remarkably elegant, balanced and pure on the palate, with building tannin and yet no hard edges. This knockout Chateauneuf will have two decades of longevity and should not be missed! In my view, no estate has made more qualitative gains in the past 3-4 years than Bosquet des Papes... If you're looking for the next superstar producer in Chateauneuf du Pape, here you go!
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